Autobiographically Too Flat

So, I just got another email haranguing me about updates to the blog. Which is all well and good - I love getting them, 'cuz it's really all about reaching people, you know? The thing is, it wasn't signed from one of the four people I know who check for the blog regularly. My best guess is that it's just one of those four jackasses who signed up for a hotmail account. But on the off chance that it's not: Huge! This blog is dedicated to you, pacco. Send me more mail since it makes me smile.

Also huge was the last two days. But first, some apartment news. So, Jeff has been bringing in some people to look at the apartment (since, as I've mentioned, he's leaving for New Brunswick next week. Or today. Or something). I guess he's doing a good job of selling the place, but he's definitely neglected to tell at least two people that I come with the apartment for the month of July. I've been getting mixed reactions. One girl was psyched (she says it's because she was going to need to find sublets for that month, but I know it was because she walked in on me without my shirt on), and another was really confused (until I took off my shirt. Then she melted).

I remain unconcerned. Figure, worst case, I'm squatting in an apartment for a while. I'll be just like Stephen Wright as The Guy on the Couch; but I'll be Guy With the Best Room in the Loft. It'll be fine.

But back to really interesting things. First of all - Wednesday. So huge. Jeremy and Ben convinced me (I'll admit, it didn't take very much) to leave work early and go to Harlem for a basketball game. The game was part of the Entertainers Basketball Classic at Rucker Park on 155th St. We counted - out of what was probably 400 or so people in the bleachers of the park, us three composed exactly half of all of the white people in the audience. Since it was Wednesday, every one had to wear a bright white T-shirt (Icy-white Wednesdays), otherwise they get their balls busted by the MC. (Me and my crew knew this because we had watched the Foot Locker DVD of EBC highlights). So we went in prepared. As the MC was walking around the park looking for violaters, his eyes fell on the three of us. He kind of dropped the mic a little bit, gave a nod, and said "Yeah - Icy White Wednesday!" and kept on going. Made us laugh.

Some other things occured that night (mostly games getting canceled, freestylers on the court, little kids shaking their booty like it wasn't no thing, etc.), but it was mostly what you'd expect. I think I'll stick with the DVD from now on, TBH.

But more important than that, was last night. Ben and I went to a Team Poetry reading at a place called Urbana (a poetry club on the Bowery in NYC). We were really representing alltooflat to the fullest - Did a good number of the guest haiku - Starting with the Longest Haiku in the world, and finishing with the NAFTA debates. I think they went over really well (including the posters Ben made as pronunciation guides), even though we didn't even make it to the second round of readings (the seven teams were all competing for a Deluxe Edition Scrabble Board, which we were sure we were going to win. Disaster). But we made people laugh a bunch, and that's what's important.

What's really kind of funny is that the guy who owns the club (who I heard afterwards is a bigwig in the NYC literary scene) gave us his number and email and told us to contact him if we ever wanted to do something else at the club. So I fully expect there to be an Alltooflat.com night at Urbana in the next couple of months. Also, John S Hall (the guy from King Missle of "detachable penis" fame) was there, and gave compliments to a friend of mine on her poem (about fisting her Freshman year RA). So that's good too. Really, the two of us were quite a sight, bathed as we were in the glow of the Samsung i300 palm phones we were using as note cards. Good times.

And Saturday is the Coney Island Mermaid Parade, which should rock the party which rocks the party. Naked chicks painted green - what's better?

----------------BLOG EDIT: 6-21-02-1640----------------

So, I was asked to change this entry a little bit for factual accuracy. I'm not so good with counting people, and I've been told that a far better estimate for the EBC event on Wednesday was ~2500 people. Also, about 50 people showed up to the Urbana poetry slam. Full house!